Don't Tell ( 1 Timothy 2 v 3 - 7 )

I read a line from a poem ,which reads,'I'm still waiting to be saved,I'm afraid', that's all I know of the poem,  the words, made me think. A friend told me about a friend of his, a Christian, who was asked to give a little word of testimony of his Christian experience. Later the man who had asked him to speak requested him not to mention about being saved as it might offend people. So what do you think happened?,when he got up to speak,and he told how he had got saved. If God saves you ,then surely one would be delighted to tell others about being saved,The sad fact is ,that in so many churches ministers are not preaching about being saved,not because it offends others ,but because it offends them. Does it offend you? possible, because ,only you can answer that because,why do I preach or speak to individuals that they need to be saved?. The word of God tells us clearly ,that we are sinners ,I remember a person who  became irritated with me,why?,because I kept mentioning sin. As one person wrote the grim logic of history leaves me in no doubt that sin is a reality . The next reason for telling others that they need to be saved ,is because what awaits all who die with their sins unforgiven ,is to spend eternity in hell..The next reason would be because God has given me the awesome responsibility to warn people. Last but not least ,my love for sinners,it breaks my heart that people need my Saviour,yet ignore him ,for he is the only Saviour there is, his name is Jesus. His death shows the seriousness of sin,and the importance of trusting Him, for the forgiveness of your sins.

Raised ( Revelation 1 v 18 )

We finish looking at Gods answer as regards sin, and I just want to finish on the last bit the resurrection,in Romans 4 v 25 which reads 'He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification' Charles Hodge writing on this says, The resurrection of Christ,, is an historical fact, established by the most satisfactory evidence ( see 1 Corinthians 15 ),authenticates the whole gospel'.A quotation from the ' Believers Bible Commentary', is helpful.' Our justification is the result that is assured by Christ's resurrection. There could have been no  justification if Christ had remained in the tomb. But the fact that He rose tells us that the work is finished, the price has been paid,and God is infinitely satisfied with the sin atoning work of the Saviour'. Trust in Jesus,follow Jesus,know Jesus,love Jesus,and you will never be disappointed.

Removed ( 1 Thessalonians 1 v 10 )

I mentioned last time the word propitiation, we have this word in Romans 3 v 25/ 1 John 2 v 2 /4 v 10. it is a controversial term to use,because it involves the removal of wrath, L Morris writes ,'Some commentators find the the concept of divine wrath  distasteful and unworthy,so they write it out of scripture'.I can assure you that the wrath of God is clearly mentioned in God's word, in many places,I mean many. CP  2 Chron 28 v 11/ Ezra 10 v 14 /John 3 v 36 / Ephesians 5 v 6.These are just some of the verses with the wrath of God in them.L Morris rightly points out ,'If there is no wrath there is no propitiation'. It means the removal of wrath,now the question is this how can it be removed from sinners?.the answer Christ would become a sacrifice ,and would bear the wrath of God for sinners.The words of Isaiah 53 which is a clear foretelling of Christ's death , speaks of Him being punished by God,pierced for our transgressions,crushed  for our iniquities, the Lord laying on him the iniquities of us all, and bearing the sin of many'.If this is not so, how then can wrath be removed? but praise God it can be removed from all who trust Jesus as there Saviour. When we do trust Him,we are no longer living under the wrath of God,following the removal of wrath,sin can then be removed .To sum it up, wrath is removed ,sin is forgiven it means our sins our sins are removed, this is expressed   wonderfully  in the words of Psalm 103 v 12,'as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us'

What does it mean?. ( Isaiah 53 )

We move on to consider the death of Christ,on the cross, we cannot escape the cross, Islam has a Christ with no cross ,there had to be a cross , so what was involved in his death ?First  it would  show his love, in 1 John 4 v 9.it would show a love that meant Him going to Calvary,to die on that cross.But there was more to his death than love,it would mean justice being satisfied,sin cannot be overlooked by a holy God.Those who sin must face the consequences ,that means everyone would be judged,and a sentence would be passed,which means facing the wrath of God. The wrath of God abides on  every person without Christ John 3 v 36, but will only come into its full effect the moment we die,as we lift up our eyes in Hell in torment,there will be no escape,no way out. In Isaiah 53 v 10 we read, 'Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;he has put him to grief,Now we will begin to understand Gods answer for our salvation.Why should he be crushed?,why should he endure punishment?,after all he never sinned. In 1 John 4 v 10 ,we read,'Herein is love,not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins'. we will continue this next time.

He didn't fail. ( Matthew 3 v 17 )

Gods answer , in relation mans dreadful condition, sin,and its terrible consequences, was Jesus, his name means Saviour.We emphasise the cross and rightly so,but we must also see  the importance of His life.He had to do something the first Adam failed to do,fulfill Gods will perfectly,In  Psalm 40 v 7 - 8 and Hebrews 10 v 5 - 7 it stresses a number of things one of the things, was, to do the will of God. For His death on the cross to be effective,his life had to completely conform to the Gods will.He would have to fulfil Gods law ,in Matthew 3 v 15 He spoke of fulfilling  all righteousness, this He  did,He never deviated one bit from doings God will ,and He never sinned ( Hebrews 4 v 15 ) If  He had failed in those two things, His death on the cross would have been pointless,but praise God He didn't.

God's Answer. ( 1 Corinthians 1 v 30 - 31 )

Alright we have considered the problem that all mankind has to face up to ,it can be summed up in one word ,'SIN', unless sin is dealt with, the consequences are dreadful,awful in the extreme . Everybody wants to go to heaven,but the door is shut to those whose sins have not been forgiven,no matter who it is.  Now forgiveness is not something that you or I can resolve,people have by various means tried , but only God has provide the answer,and if we are to be saved from Gods wrath,we have to accept Gods answer. If  Gods justice could be satisfied ,then wrath could be removed,and sins could be forgiven,now the other problem is, we need to be provided with a righteousness ,that would enable them us to have acceptance with God. The answer for all these things would come through one person, whom we know as Jesus. By  His life , death and His resurrection ,He would fulfill,what was needed, to  save  us sinners..We will consider this more next time..

Important ( Ephesians 2 )

Yesterday we considered how law keeping ,and rule keeping,does not deal with sin,and that also includes the good things we do.L. Morris points out,''The good that people do is never a problem.It is something to be thankful about, not something people must be saved from.But sin is another thing altogether. It is a problem wherever it is found.'I have a friend who was brought up in a very religious family,he himself was very religious,obeying the church,but for all his religiosity he had no assurance that his sins were forgiven. This is the dilemma that many religious people find themselves in,and it is serious for them and for everyone.Because if our sins our not forgiven,we will have a price  to pay, ( 1 )We can never have a relationship with a holy God,  ( 2 ) We will experience God's judgement,  He is a just God,He cannot overlook sin, nor will He,have no illusions,to think otherwise is a false belief. I took a brief count as regards the word wrath is mentioned in the Bible ,and counted roughly a 170 times..Remember the OT God is the same God as is in the NT.   C  P; Romans 1 v 18/  2 v 5./v 8 ,  1 Thessalonians 1 v 10, speaks of wrath to come,these as I have pointed out  are just a few examples that are mentioned in the Bible.So as a preacher I am not making it up when I mention the wrath of God. If a person is not a Christian then the Bible tells us in John 3 v 36, that wrath abides on them.This is very serious for all ,whose sins have not been forgiven,so what is the answer,or should I say what is Gods answer?. We will consider this next time.